History of the town of Riverhead, Suffolk county, N.Y

if

I

L -CAM. <SCO C«_ ^-V>^_

i • m c «cc ' c <l cdC

; « dcC <Cc CC CCCO

cere aEcC cd(

■ COd CCcC-Xt, CC Cj
Ct<Cc <aO;^C CCT'C

<^<3 ■«& c«c: cc^c •
dec <d <r cCaC
Cgcc <K <c cCad

dcCdc <«£ i<C ccc
d£ c C< <SC CE C dc C

c c d; ««; «j ddjc^C.
;ccc< <c <&
cicd «,
rcc ~d cccc'-

c c ci c c • c CS2&

<C"^c d~ cd.c Cc cc
:4ccc d. cccccctc

^cccc

tec. dT'C'^d

XjiCC

. CCCC

C<Cd

CxC

:cs.cc

cg£s«?<rdd «ac

V1 ' V V5^

<3<C
C'CC-

crccc
<m c
ore*

■ &'C

: S£

.. <g«C

eg c

<^^C<K; «feCV < CO.CCC

<s<cc ccc «PEH c;rccc^

ccictc CCC dcCtdVVcV

« OCT jdd c d^/GsC
CLCGT- «C|C <| cC

■«SSL <:«?'. ■

cc cg:; ^
■c§3 ccr *do<L C » *r :

m cist «<^' • <-< c>'
. <g Oct . nKcc - c?np . ,

Cc c<

c cc

C.i CLCCC

X5JQC

11 c- c d ' * cc cr "c^c
c« cicccdrcc

CC CCCCC CC

d c d < «c d c c s

tC C C € - C

T~C <r <C en- ■ < ■•

. <d< c d' c , .

<CTc€ d (

<^C.C^.d «-: «

-ccd - cc

r'. CfC"

X cc<

<L«r«c< <TC

ccc d"

d? d <^<cc<?c ■
■-'d^'c *z«i *z:

d(^ C_ ■' dece d
d'.« c d<ccd-
oc -dcccd c:

•d: <gc: c«t, <r '■ -

^ CrtcC C

i CCCd '

' C«'C
1 Ccccc"
. d. C<^C ':
'CL'-Cr"

[ <C< dl CfC'C c=.
dl. CJC'C • <T !
Ct C'« C
■ .dl. CiX

<c - d C'C^ j
c<: d~C^c.d~

. d_ d<c d"-
^c«c 'd:- « .
^ c <: ■
_ qcc c«:

: ;wCc^c <d
St '«ti c cd

<^c ■ d~< cd «

"<i c cC
"(TfCd? <<&«£■■
■ ^c /-- <«rc < :,'"5-

'cC'dCCi
0CcCCC;v

.-^<-C] «d-

dr c ex" dj« ^j c
d^ c S^fci «cc^<

d dl' <. fc

*^-«^-' d

^ c c

d«c c

S OK

cr d ic <dd^

d d: -c -dr. d

CC c^-d

d d& '^^<i
•d Cl'^dc

c: d

: d

' die c dl ' iA • <^K

CCCC^ ■«

Ccc.<K *V^

die c «& &H< - * —
dc c dl ; fie '<?
. Cc c «<

dc c ,

• 54( 5^ :d<c <^
. god .jgc ^

' #cSd <^^ <

c d:

cc ^^;

cd CC
d. CC
d c «

d <<t

^i^^ Cc dl ' r

^C-'<£0 ^«iC

® c Cj^

J^Cc: c^ dl <rC

i^ctc d^*ic

■^Sccc ijc.d:
■^^■c d:- .«c:

^cc • c

^Scr e d: cc
^p?c <;;- x <

(^3ccv<:^ c<

<JdK'C <1 CO

-iC cq <^

. . <CC cc d CC
<Sic d cc

ds c C C c

i" i€kc ■ . c^c

Cc- ,«Ccvcc

c c<ac <c .

c<GC" csLd

r*3C «Sg«£

% ««£L C? <r

•; m^. «<£

precede

Cr« c
-C<5 c .
d G c

«T O c

Clc rc
Cle c

CUc c

^c C

c.c < c: •

Ci d

c d

C C

C C

« C

<3 C

: <-- t
c< c
g c,

G C
g C

C-C

C£w "

o <:

Cc«-cd

<dc c

<d'CC

dc c d

CT

C3 c C .

d <r .

<TC<

Gc c d. cc
dec < :cg cc

CCC c d C C •

<ce cdl-.cc

Gc^'c;. .«. c

Cce ft CC V < <

etc <--:•;.<? ■j'-.CtC
•- ■ <r « < <

"''^'«C c<C

■pit <■'■
: " CC :. <c

:4&CfC_

d

cc &<ac

CcjiCd

CCCc Cc

CC<ccsC_ ccscc

cc -c<: ,c i c
• ccsc

1 ccrrC

_ cC C .

^r cC c
CCCCTC^C' tC c.

"eg C<"< CjOC <c c

£ff$£f C'C: «T.'C CCC<
fw4v^& C< ^^C CCCC

C^C< «Ecc <^ d CC® < o

g£^c«crcc <st c

^P C <-<Tc r <rc <
- S5 «E?C CXc CL.
^»c: . «kj. ( ^^ . <r. ci.c<c '^S-

-■ <r .cc; ccc <^ c: c«.cc

t CC ' CC'C <T CC CC'fG/CL.

: c <x

c c c

: g c:

: C C

rC C C

C c c
c c ^c
<: -c c

L C G
C C

' Oc' c -

cC-cc ( _

CC ' ( <£•'
CC
C7«T" c<

<< c
c ^

C

; '-c '

c

c

(C C '

< c;

( c

Cccc cc: c c «

c C C~ CCC CC <■ c ^^
"^ C CI cCC CC e C CL

cc <l c c cc ^ c ■ -
c c CC' ci< , .cjC^'c^:.-1
c c -cc c c • c<c c c
cc CUCC' C<Z cc -
"c ■<:. dec .<3C < c

C <£ c c c< ^ .*.-c

C< <~c C cc c<C CZ

" c: c dec c< ccc. d

r. <' dTo c cf" ccc

Cj ' < < <?• CCC •

d-c . dec ct • cciCL. -

- \ c cc c «c;c<-<i:

«^ c

<T' c:

CX BflEL: C<

£1 <c c
5X . c c

55- ^< : C

*2^ «c c

_p < c

S rc
ct

<i <_ „ <-

d< co r

c

, Ct r

'< «

•V 1

■d ci

■ d:„ cc

"<<

dec

cc G

«?*<<

cc
cC
ccL ■

CC

cc
cc
CC

cc
cc
cc

HcC <c

d«( '; -'
dC '2 <
'd<' c <

-^ w cc <

r. cr<
c c
c c ?

d Cj «

H 'C c
Z> C> a
1 C i
c

: «? d
cc c
«: c
«E c

■ cr c

<& c

«r» c

C .<& C

c «K c
^'- '^*:<:

C .4C? C-

■C «p c

C! «C <

c «

<: c cC • -
>c C

< <C" •.

< . . <c •

c . cC .C
cc<

CC

c

-cc" '<&

<c

c c<cr

. <£c^C<CCi
<S^ c d
«g^, 'CC<

*.Cc
C 'C-Ct. .

Cc <; c^_

* cc <r

cc <c

c «L <^

• • ■ «; "c <T

"<ar '.cc <r '

< c

3EX. X S "T» O 7EL ^ST

OF THE TOWN OF

RIVERHEAD,

Written by Hon. George Miller, and read by T. M. Griffing,
J. Esq., at tne Centennial Celebration,

Jk^H *v\y 4, 1876.

> — •■» <

The town of Riverhead embraces all
that part of the town of Southold, as
constituted by statute, bounded north-
erly by the Sound, easterly by the east
line of the Albertson farm, so called,
extending from the Sound to the bay,
and chiefly bwlongiug to the late Israel
Fanning; southerly by Peconic Bay
and Peconic River, and westerly by
the town of Brookhaven. The origi-
nal east line of that town extended
frora a pepperidge tiee standing '•' at
the head ot a small brook that runneth
into the creek called Panquacnnsuck,"
(which is Wading River creek,) north
to the Sound and south to the ocean.
That tree stood nearly opposite the
bouse late of Gabriel Mills, deceased,
now of Robert H. Coi bett, and has
ever been regarded as the bound be-
tween the towns. The territory west
of the said north line and east of the
Wading River creek belonged to
Brookhaven. but that town ceded it to
Riverhead, on condition that the latter
town should support a pauper that lived
there.

The patent of the town of Southold
was bounded on the south by a line
running from the head of Red Creek
to the head of the said brook at Wad-
ing River. It crosses Peconic River
at Riverhead in the neighborhood of
the present waste gate, and from thence

westward. It has always been a
known line, and a landmark between
the oivisions of land lying north and
south of it. The land on the south was
granted by the Colonial Governor to
Chief Justice Smith by a patent bound-
ed on the west by the Brookhaven
line ; on the northeast by this Manor
line to Red Cieek ; thence southeast-
erly by a line extending from Red
Greek to the head of Seat'iek It is
believed that the portiun ol this patent
lying between the Manor line and Pe-
conic River was joined to the town of
Southold by the earliest legislative di-
vision of the towns, and that people of
Southold purchased ot Judge Smith the
land north of Peconic River and allot-
ted it.

There is nothing in the records of
the town ot Southold to show that the
proprietors under the patent of that
town ever made a recorded allotment
of their lands now within the town of
Riverhead. But most of the proprie-
tors took the lands severally allotted
to them without entering the same on
record. It appears that in 1659 the
proprietors granted to John Tooker
and Joshua HottoG the privilege of
building a saw mill on Peconic River,
with a' little land. Tooker in 1711
conveyed 400 acres of land to John
Parker, bounded east by Paiker's laud,

south by Peconic River, west by wid-
ow Cooper's land, and north by the
Sound. Parker owned the land on the
south side of the river. In 1726, by
deed of gift, John Parker conveyed to
Joseph Wickham and Abigail Wick-
ham, his daughter, all his laud north
. of Pecouic River, to the said Josepu
for life and then to his daughter and
her heirs. Her husband died in 1749.
His widow died in 1780, and her old-
est son, Parker, inherited her estate,
which was confiscated after the war
and purchased by Gen. Floyd, who
sold the property to Mr. Jagger.

In 1753 Thomas Panning sold the
hotel property, 130 acres, with the
darn as far as the saw mill, to John
Griffing, for £1,000. In 1775 Join.
Griffing conveyed his land south of
the highway, with the grist mill and
his part of the stream, to Nathaniel
Griffing, bis son, for £500 John Grit-
ting was a patriotic Whig and went
to Connecticut with his family when
the war came on, and died there in
1780, iutehtate, and all his estate de-
scended to his eldest sun, John, who
occupied the property until he sold it
to Benjamin Brewster about the begin
uing of this century. He, within t,t n
years, conveyed it to Bartlett Griffing,
the yonngi st son of John Griffing tin-
elder, and he within a year conveyed
it to his brother, William Griffing, in
whose family it ever after remained
until it was conveyed to John P. Ter-
ry, the present proprietor, in 1864
The main building of this hotel was
erected bj7 the Messrs Gri flings in
1844.

The village of Riverhead for nearly
30 years alter the Involution remained
stationary, with but lour bouses, viz. :
The Griffing Hotel, Joseph Osboru's
house, on Terry & Weilo's corner, Da-
vid Jagger's house, and the mill house,

built by William Albertson.the owner
of the grist mill. David Horton lived
in the Court house and kept the jail.
Stephen Griffing occupied the place
late of Dr. Thomas Osb^rn.

In 1815 Nathaniel Griffing, Jr., built
the house now occupied bv Mr. Miller,
on premises his father had purchased
40 years before. The same year Hub-
bard an 1 Wells Griffing built the sloop
McDonough, the first vessel built in
Riveibead after iho war. They run
her until 1825 and then sold her and
built the sloop Pacific. Atterwards
Capt. Junes Horton bought the Mc-
Donough, rebuilt her and run her many
years and sold her. She is now in
Connecticut and was seen in New York
last summer in quite good condition.

Bwjamin Brewster bought the grist
mill ot William Alhertson and run it
some years after the war of 1812.
During this time it was burnt. Mr.
Brewster got his insurance and rebuilt
the mill, netting it on an elbow of the
dam, which he e.irritd a considerable
distance noitheast from the" former
site. When he sold bis hotel, about
1808, he built the bouse late of Hub-
bard Griffing, deceased, which he oc-
cupied until he sold the mill to Ezra
Hallock In 1824 the grist mill was
overhauled, and greatly improved with
new water wheels. In that summer
the water was drawn off the mill pond,
causing, as was supposed, considerable
sickness and some deaths.

In 1825 the village had considerably
advanced and increased. Moses C. Cleve-
land had set up a shoe shop, aad Jedediah
Conklin a blacksmith's shop, both of whom
were active business men. There were
three stores, kept by Elijah Terry, Will-
iam Jagger and William Griffing, Jr. Siuce
then business and population have greatly
increased. There are now some 20 stores,
three drug shops, foui dentists, tour butch-
er's shops, five physicians, six lawyers, five
churches and a large Union School.

The Long Island House still occupies a
part of the original hotel owned by the
Griffiugs 128 years ago.and owned by some
oJ the family nearly ever since until it was
purchased by Jolm P. Terry, the present
landlord.

Henry L. Griffin owns a large hotel near
the railroad, or part of the Griffing farm,
built in 18G2.

The Suffolk Hotel, kept by John Cor-
win, was built on a part of the same prop-
erty in the year 1825, first as a dwelling,
afterwards greatly enlarged, and kept as a
hotel since 1834.

The large brick store on Bridge street
was built in 1854 by David F. Vail. John
Downs built his buck block on the corner
of Main street and Griffiag ave. in 1871-2.
The Messrs., Hill built their th"ee story
double brick store on Main street in 1874.

Dr. Thomas Osborn was the first phy-
sician in the village and the only one for
thirty years. He commenced practice very
early in this century and died in 1849 Dr.
Joseph Doane practiced in this village 12

3 ears and died in 1847. Dr. Conk-

liu was the first physician in the town.
He lived and practiced at Lower Aque-
bogue.

Riverkead has two Engine Companies.
The first, Red Bird, was organized in 1833.
It has now two hand engines and 40 mem-
bers ; Gilbert H. Ketcham foreman. The
second, Washington, was organized in 1862.
It has one hand engine, and a new steamer
purchased in 1875 ; members 36 ; Oliver
A. Terry foren.an.

The Riverhead Savings Bank was organ-
ized in 1872 — Richard H. Benjamin then
and stiil President, with twenty Trustees
whose services are gratuitous. It has av-
eraged more than one new depositor for
every duy since, has paid $118,000 to its
depositors, and has now invested over
$200,000. Its influence has been very be
nencent.

An early individual enterprise was per-
formed by the lite Isaac Swezey, Sr., by
which in 1848 he dug a canal over 80 rods
long and moved his grist mill from the dam
on Little River to the village at the verge
of the Great Kiver.

Charles Hallett has contributed much to
the growth and material prosperity of the

village. In 185G he started a planiugmill,
usiug to some extent both steam and water
power, which finally passed into other
bands. Tu i860 he built a steam planing
mill on the north side of the river, which
did a lurge business — the first year to the
amount of $22,000, and in the years 1873
and 1874 the business amouated to $125,-
000 a year, and his pay roll was $32,000
in 1873 and $34,000 in 1874. He ha* now
rented out the steam mill, which is run by
Weeks & Millard, we believe prosperously
for the tunes.

In 870 Mr. Hallett started a paper mill
for making board paper of straw. In 1872
he started a flouring mill, which he has now
fitted for making flour by the uewpioccss,
and is ruaning the mill with much success,
commanding patronage, by the railroad.
Irom Queens county. His paper mill has
been much improved by new inventions,
ada ted to the pressure of the times, so as
to make a very superior board that can be
sold at a profit.

The village of Riverhead has received
great benefit from the improvement of the
channel of the river. Congress has made
three appropriations, amounting in the ag-
gregate to $25,000, and the State has ap-
propriated $5,000, all of which has been
carefully expended in deepening the chan-
nel with a steam excavator. The result
has been not only very favorable to navi-
gation, but it has caused the water to run
off at low tide nearly a foot lower, while it
very unexpectedly prevents as high a rise
of water as formerly with an east wind,
rendmug great advantages to the mill
stream and making the adjoining lots and
gardens, cellais and wharves more com-
iortable and valuable. Further appropri-
ations are necessary to make the work com-
plete. It is believed that $20,000 would
effect all that could be desired-

At the close of the Kevolution agricul-
ture was at a low ebb as wll as business
of every other kind. The cultivated lands
had been worked down and become poor,
and the peop e were without fertilizers.
Manuring with fish was then unknown
and the people of this branch of the Island
went to Coram and Middle Island with
their horse carts to buy rye to live on.
People were deeply in debt according to

their means of payment. As an illustra-
tion of this, it appears from the records
that more than 100 writs were returnable
to the Court of Common Picas of this
county during the first year after the war.
Before or soon after the beginning of this
century bunker fishing for manure was be-
gun by the farmers. This soon improved
their circumstances, enabled them to raise
good crops, and produce manure from oth-
er sources so as to make their laud perma-
nently good, and the condition of the peo-
ple very much improved. Buying fertiliz-
ers from abroad was not then practiced.
Judge John Wuodhuli was the first man
in the town to buy ashes for manure, and
it euabled him to make hay superior to that
of his neighbors. Fifty yeais ago he owned
the only steel spring carriage in the town,
and about that time it was thought quite
an improvement for the hotel at Riverhead
to have a sulky with woolen springs and
thorough-braces

The Long Island Railroad commenced
runriing the last day of July, 1844. The
passenger train run three tim^s a week and
so continued through the ensuing winter
and probably longer. Fifty years ago we
had the mail at Riverhead once a week by
a one horse wagon, and it we went to New
York by stage we must cross over to
Quogue and reach the city by the mail
stage towards night of the second day.
After a few years we came to have a mail
stage '.hiough on the middle country road
Passengers would start from Riverhead at
noon, stay at Thomas Hallock't, at the
Branch the first night, and arrive ;.t Brook-
lyn towards evening the next day. After
some years we came to have two mails a
week, but the change is very great now.
We have' the mail to ana from New York
twice a day, and three trains a day in tbe
summer.

No part of the town of Riverhead has
increased so much and so rapidly in agii-
cultural wealth abNorthville. That village
and the whole extent of the north road to
Wading River, prove that the early histo
riaus of the towu misconceived the charac-
ter of a large part of the lands in the town
not then brought under cultivation. They
are in fact valuable for that purpose and

have been much improved within a few
years.

Wading River more than 50 years ago
had a good deai of enterprise in the coast
iug business, and built some valuable ves-
sels for that trade and launched them into
the Sound. The railroad, which has done
so much for the prosperity of other parts
of the town, has rather tended to retard
the growth of this place.

The village of Jampsport has come into
being within the last half of our Centennial
period. It is built on Miamogue Point.
The wharf was built in 183 o and the hotel
in 183G. It has grown to be a considera-
ble village aud is very pleasantly situated
for a su r. mer resort, enjoying great advan-
tages for the navigation of the bay.

At about 1797 Jeremiah Petty built a
F rge for making bar iron, on Peconic Riv-
er at the Forge Pond, where he did busi-
ness until his death, after which, in 1799,
the property was purchased by Solomon
Towcsend of New York, who did business
there for a while, and after his death and
in 1818 the property was sold by his ad-
ministrators to Bartholomew Collins, since
which time but little business has been
done with the large water power of the
mill pond except as a reservoir for the
mills below, and since 1870 the wfiter has
been drawn off during the summer for the
purpose of cultivating cranbenies on the
bed of the pond. The same: use is now
being made of the pond above on the same
stream by draining it and yet using the
water of the river above by means of a, ca-
nal

The Upper Mills, so called, one mile
above Riverhead village, on Peconic river,
was the site of a grist mill, ful ing mill and
saw mill, all owned by Richard Albertson,
the father and then the son, and built late
in the past centmy.

In 1828 John Perkins became a proprie-
tor in the water power and established a
woollen factoiy, which has been continued
ever since. It was ever regarded as very
valuable to the people on both sides of
the Island, and facilitates the transition
from spinning and weaving cloth at home
t:> carrying we>ol to the factory aud taking
manufactured cloth in return The factory

was run during the life of Mr. Perkins,
who died in I860, and since his death by
his sous, who arc merchants in Riverhead.
The present woollen factory was built by
Mr Perkins in 1845.

LAW.

The first Court-house was built in Riv-
erhead iu 1728. The Couit was fust held
on the last Tuesday in September, 1728.

An order was entered that all process
should be returnable at the County Hall,
and that is what it was called. Before
that, the Courts appear to have been held
alternately in the towns of Southold and
Southampton. The first term of the Com-
mon Pleas was held after the war on the
last Tuesday of March, 1784. EzraLTIom-
medieu and Abraham Skinner were both
then admitted to practice as attorneys and
there appeal 3 on the records no other law.
yer. Mr. LTIommedieu was Clerk of the
County, which office he held 26 years, dur-
ing which time he was for one term a
Member of Congress and many yeaisa
State Senator, besides having a very large
practice as attorney, having over 80 writs
returnable in the Common Pleas in oue
year

Daniel Osborn, the father oi the late Hull
Osborn and of Dr. Thomas Osborn, was a
member of the bar and a Member of As-
sembly in 1787; he died in 1801. Hull
Osborn was a practicing lawyer in River-
head for many years until 1817, and was
for one year Clerk ol the county in 1810.
He died iu 1834., very highly respected as
a man and a lawyer.

The other practicing lawyers in early
times were George Smith of Smithtowu
— lie moved to Connecticut — Jos Strong
of Orauge county, who moved into this
county and practiced law a number of
yea«3, ana Silas Wood of Huntington
Eliphalet Wicks of Jamaica, a man of high
landing, practiced law in the county many
years Tnese are all the members of the
bar who i.ad ceased to practice in the coun-
ty before 1&25. The lollowing are the
lawyers that were practicing in Suffolk
county when the writer came to the bar iu
1825: Abraham Skinner, Chas. A. Floyd,
Selah b. Strong. William P. Buffett, Abra-
ham T. Kose, Hugh Halsey and Daniel

Robert. All these, together with every
officer who then attended Court, have
passed away except Mr. Robert, who is
still Mving in New Utrecht. His office was
in New York, but he attended all our courts
and was one of the heading advocates until
1831.

The first Judges were Selah Strong,
the elder, Abraham Woodhull, Thomas S.
Strong, Joshua Smith, Jonithan Conkliu,
Hugh Halsey, Abraham T. Rose, William
P Buffett. J. Lawrence Smith. George Mil-
ler, Henry P. Hedges and John R. Reid.
The last four are still living.

the following persons have been Mem-
bers of Assembly from this town : Capt.
John Wells, Usher H. Moora, who was
also a member of the Constitutional Con-
vention iu 1821 ; 0; pt. Noah Youngs, John
Terry, David Warner, George Howell,
John C Davis, James H. Tuthill. John S.
Marcy and Nathan D. Petty. The three
last have been members for two sessioLS
each

The first Clerk's office was built in 1846.
The new Court-house was built in 1856.
In 1875 the first Clerk's office was sold
and a new building erected for Clerk's and
Surrogate's offices.

RELIGION.

At the time of the Revolution it is be-
lieved that the only places of worship in
the town were at Lower Aquebogue, Up-
per Aquebogue and Wading River, the first
Presbyterian and the other two Congrega-
tional. At Baiting Hollow a Congrega-
tional house of worship was erected in
1802 and built anew about 1839. In 1815
separate worship was set up by Svvedenbor-
giaus and in 1839 a house of worship was
erected by them. In Wading River the
first house was built about 1750 and a new
house was erected in 1837- In Lower
Aquebogue the first house was built in
1 7;]4 ; it was repaired in 1830 and rebuilt
in 1859. The church some years ago be-
came Congregational. At Upper Aque-
bogue a house of worship was erected in
the fore part of the last century. In 1797
a new church was built, iu 183H it was
remodeled am! rebuilt. A new church ed-
ifice was built in 18u2. This society be-
came in a measure the mother of two other

6

congregations. There was a separation of
the congregation in 1829 and the seceders
built a house two miles east of Riverhead.
In 1834 this new congregation harmoni-
ously divided, and one portion took the
me«*.ting-house and moved it to Northville ;
the other portion removed to Riverhead.
receiving compensation for their interest
in the building, and worshiped in the low-
ei room of the Seminary building until
1841, when the present Congregational
Church was built, which was enlarged in
the year 1868.

The Methodist Society in Riverhead was
organized in 1833 and their first meeting-
house was built in i834 Their present
noble edifice was built in 1870.

The Swedenborgian Society was organ-
ized in 1839 Their house- of worship was
built in 1855. Before the erection of their
church they occupied a comfortable room
as a place of worship, which was also used
as a school room.

The Episcopalians commenced stated
worsLio in Riverhead in 1870, and in 1873
they erected a neat chapel.

The Free Methodists erected a meeting
house in 1872.

The Roman Catholic Society held ser-
vices for several years in the old Court-
house and in a house on East street. In
1870 their present hatdsome church and
parsonage were erected.

At Jamesport a building was erected in
1839 iiiid has been occupied as a p.ace of
worship for the Methodist Society since
and sometimes as a school house.

The village of Riverhead was in 1825 and
always had been a part ef the Congrega-
tional Society of Upper Aquebogue. Mr.
Swezey, the minister, statedly preached in
the Court house every other Sunday at 5
o'clock, or in the evening. The Method
ist circuit rider statedly preached in the
Court house every other Friday afternoon
or evening, and v:as entertained at Dr. Os-
born's. In March, 1827, a stated weekly
prayer meeting was established and ever
after maintained. In June following a
Sunday School with nearly 100 scholars
was established in the Court-house and
kept up, except that it was not held in the
winter.

In 1828 or 1829 meetings were held and

a sermon read in the Court-house at 1 1
o'clock on the Sabbath and kept up for
several years. At some time afterwards
meetings were held statedly in the Court-
house on Sunday evening, at which the
Congregational and Methodist ministers
preached alternately. So the t^o societies
grew up together as the population in-
creased. We thought then and we think
still that there was much more moral and
religious influence for good exercised than
if only one denomination had occupied the
wnole ground.

EDUCATION.

There have been great advances in the
cause of education since the Revolution.
During that war the Island was in poses-
sion of the British, and the people were
great sufferers from their troops and from
marauders (plunderers they used to be
called), who came from New England, so
that the opportunities for schools were
small ; and then came up a generation dur-
ing the war whose education was very lim-
ited, and no considerable public provision
was made for education until long after
the war. In the early part of this century
there were two schools taught by native
teachers that were very commendable for
those times, and many young men received
an education there which well fitted them
for active life. We allude to the schools
kept at Upper and Lower Aqnebogue. the
former by Josiah Reeve, afterwards Sheriff
of the county, and the latter by Judge Da-
vid Warner. No special efforts for extra
edncatiou were made until the Frankliu-
ville Academy was erected in the year
1832. That soon became a prosperous and
efficient institution and many young men
were educated there It continued to flour-
ish for many years and constituted a new
era in education in this part of the county
and drew many pupils from other towns.

The standard of female education on this
branch of the Island was very low up to
this time. Indeed it had been so through-
out most parts of the county. When Dr.
Beecher preached at East Hampton his
wife taught quite a class ef female schol-
ars Irom difieient parts of the county. The
influence of those scholars told very favor-
ably upon the communities where they
were afterwards located. With that ex-

ception we know of no schools in the coun-
ty lor the special education ol females.

The opportunities of girls in the two
academies of East Hampton and Hunting
ton were in those days, very secondary'.
Indeed acadeniks afforded inferior oppor-
tunities for thorough education They were
generally taught by young men who had
little primary education, but had devoted
their efforts to the classics and mathemat-
ics sufficiently to pass through college, and
during their progress to a profession taught
academies and high schools, imparting
chiefly such learning as they had acquired.
Female education had been overlooked or
neglected, aud tho:ougb primary instruc-
tion nearly as much so

In view of this state of things Dr. Josh-
up, Fanning and the writer undertook to
organize a Female Seminary, aud in the
year 1834 we erected the present seminary
building in the village of Riverhead. In
the spring of 1835 the school was begun
vvith good success. Its object was to give
thoiough instruction in all the prin.ary
branches of an English education, with
Latiu and Mathematics. The effect of the
school was almost magical upon the com-
munity. The ideas of people in regard to
female education were raised more thau
one bundled per cent, in a short time, and
the difference in the estimate of people in
legard to thorough primary education soon
became great and told upon the academies
of the county, aud the examination day at
the ciose of the terms were lor years among
the proudest days of Riverhead.*

At the beginning it was s-upposed that
young ladies must be educated in exclusive
schools, but this was after a while touud
to be a mistake with us, and it is now gen-
erally conceded that schools of both sexes
can be best governed and instructed.

This seminary and nearly all other
schools in Riverhead have been supersede d
by the Union School, established in 1871,
which has been a great success. A school
of this kind acts under the. sanction of the
law and is amenable to the judgment and

good sense of the whole community, and
has advantages for discipline and uood gov-
ernment which can never be enjoyed by a
private school.

HEALTH,

Riverhead is believed to be remarkable
for the healthfulnes9 of its climate. There
have been no prevailing climatic diseases
iu the village in 52 years. The make of
the earth is such that there can be no stag-
nant water above or below ground, and
water for use is drawn from pure white
sand, which makes it perfect iu quality,
while it is as cool as persons in poor health
should desire. Summer diseases, which at
times prevail in almost every village, have
never been prevalent here.

At the south of Riverhead there is a
pitch pine barren seven miles in extent,
over which the ocean breezes pass, often
loaded at the start vvith tog and dampness,
which are absorbed by the dry country
over which they pass. Fogs are very com-
mon on the south side but rare at River-
head In the spring the aroma from the
pine growth is often perceived in the south-
erly breeze by strangers. This dry pine
country is probably little inferior to the pine
barrens at the South, which are often
sought by invalids. It undoubtedly has a
lavorable effect upon the health of the vil-
lage. The same causes, we think, render
Jamesport equal if not superior to any wa-
tering place on the north side of Peconic
Bay. i-v^+j^ tJ-Jl-j -

It is easy to chronicle events but not al-
ways so easy to relate with accuracy the
moral state of a peuple or community as it
bears on past and present times. ThVisfete--
ot things now and fitty years ago in regard
to morals and good government is vastly
different, and the question is have we ad-
vanced? Are there proportionally more
happy families, aud more children trained
to knowledge, yirtue aud industry? The
truth is, that it we would have advance-
ment in the right direction we must go still
further and higher. There must be great
reforms in every department of the govern-
ment, and the people must hold tneir serv-
ants to a responsibility not thought of here-
tofore.

There can be no doubt tha' there have
been great changes in some of the moral
and social relations of the people. In re-

gard to intemperance the change is great.
In 1828 the liquor drank in the town was
five times as much as it was two years af-
terwards. The first temperance meeting
in liiverhead was held late in January
1829, when 17 signed the pledge. At the
next meeting a fortnight later the signers
were doubled and the consumption ot liq-
uor was undoubtedly lessened one half in
three months. Before that liquor was al-
most everywhere. Every merchant and
man of business kept his open bottle. On
every public occasion drunkards abounded.
But as soon as the principles of total absti-
nence was adopted a change came over the
community. At the very next town meet-
ing the people all went home before night
sober. At the next launching of Capt.
Henry Horton's vessel no liquor was used.
Fishermen abandoned it ; merchauts who
sold other goods quit the sale of it. The
people soon saw clearly, what fifty years
has proved to be true, that even the mode-
rate use of liquor is not necessary but hurt-
ful, and that sound morals and good gov-
ernment require that its haLitual use should
be abandoned. It would be hard to esti-
mate the amount of temporal blessings this
great leformation in principle and practice
has caused to households and individuals.
O if some of our temperance friends would
only get the foolish crotchet out of their
heads that no man is fit for any office if he
will not at once vote for total prohibition,
we might soon prove by the laws we have
whether we a;e in a condition to have laws
more efficient than the Local Option Act
If they would join in one party or the oth-
er the" great body of honest voters of the
State in the present struggle to elevate the
standard of official duty and purify the pol

iticsof the country, they -will find them-
selves standing on a much firmer basis for
further assistance from the laws. Let us be
sure, if possible, that men are honest and
capable whom we support for office, but
never let us reject such because they are
not for prohibition where such a law is not
in question.

Our advantages for educatioa and the
training ol children are vastly greater than
they were 40 or 50 years ago, but do we
improve them as we should? Are children
and boys just passing to manhood restrain-
ed as they should be ? The foundation and
corner stone of good government is that
boys should never be suffered to run at
large in the streets in the night time. Lax-
ness in this matter is preparing children
for the slaughter. Above all things, if pos-
sible, make your family a happy home for
your children. In no point of view have I
for 35 years looked upon the young ladies
educated at our Seminary with so much in-
terest as with the hope that they would ac-
quire knowledge and training that would
the better fit them to make their homes
hippy* with the more skill to control chil-
dren and youth under their care. We look
with yreat hope for the good influence of
our Union school in this matter.

We could not well say less in regard to
moral questions which have affected us so
deeply in time past and must for time to
come. We enter upon the second century
of our national existence under very aus-
picious circumstances and in nothing so
much as the feeling that has arisen among
thoughtful and true men ot all parties that
the standard of morals in politics, and in
the conducting of our National and State
governments, must be greatly elevated.

cCL C^XC^,

". <C"CG 1C

c ' C
35 c C.

£ GG

■k *?<m <c • pec

■ " clcx«l rC ■

c «tgg .<L .-:

«C Ci «.«' <C-

c cue c Cl^*^ <

5? ag s r

C .dec C
C CCCGC

~^=— ,/f" GL V

cr c

- G G
G C

G C

c c

^: CccC
G C .
c c
;C C

. C G

r ^ <5cc g

?,. "^" <kt<:cc

"c > <Z

^fcc c C <S jC

C§ C

CC C !

Cc £ > 4
- c<

G' ' -

G-c ...
<£< .«T

c ,C:

C CGc C gC? «

C C2<x CT C
C CSS c d ^;

Wt% c ^

<X^€T G <£-■%- \

ecc: c ^ ^ (
crcc c _^- J> ■
CCC c ^

CCIC ^ c

<acc c g: „

..^ssc^ "ft-t
«&£ CC ■ <■•%>

■®;CC ££ijr

., mm. Sg ■

■<&'^t ^V.G"

- - a ,,r r*7GCCL

^ G C C C G €^<PS^

^ £CC Gu.(C^ >- >AC.^

ci C

c d_ -Cl-C: ■•<
c ^IdC ^

cc C C c^

c cere c c^

f"C C<C -OCT

:a ci^gg. c c '

P c«CG ^I.CC'rrC V§

"" .< ■ CTcc k (C S>

f c^T-(: <H<c-< g <p-

•CTCGc C ■&

w<t"( cc iCc_
^7<x c_ <c, <r> -

ct c « g:,

J5 C <c G
. c ccG G--

MCCC^

.-GOZCcc <• J^

cOTGCccl f^

* €3,c

rfeccct; c<<; c

<j:c_aC-c

Cx c<d <

'CI.C c

" <l <- c -cc:
c^.<zccac

. .<:ccac

^Cu<G .^:;c

rr ' "Cue.' c cc_ '

^.GjcC--

"" G aC

<c~ <■

-ICTCSL.

cClGCC ^ 'C

<s t xc<;«c' <1 !

as ■ g<3 < ^- *

CCTC'CC J
. <tc^ . c<Cc c ^ . • c

a<c c<^ ( CI: ^

c?,c , CiCc , <T ^

^ — 2S e <3CC cc: ' <S

CC c

Cc t

■ *^ '

■:Jb

CT<C C C

«CX C <T

<cc c cr

«Cc c -■

c« c

c

C

c c
■c c
C C
c c
C c
< c
c c

cccc: cc c

•- > < C
< ' S* C C <

C i -

c cr c ■■■ c

r c~ c c

<r c c

^5 C Cc CC Cc C cVrV
Cc cO Cc c VfpVV

. c c c c c . c c c ^ fc 51

c " c. c > cc c c CCCC"

__ ■ C C C CCOC • Cc c
' C .CuC CCc c CC c

^_- CcC . C(( C err ■

C CcC C c C *¥>*> ,

' c: cc., c cc ,
r ccc c <r cc «

C» CC C C CC ^ c

<CT ^.CC C -.CrVc?" <

. CCC:. CcC - <C

^ CS C CrC. C

-CI c^C-ac cccc C

<:. ccc cr c c c c>c «r

CI cccC C c «c c<c * C

c ' ■ ■ c. cccc c: cc -c c^c ^

cr cc- cr cc c: ^

• C cc CT c.C c C(C

C ■ a C. < < Sf C C

Co c C C
Cc c.C C

Co c ^ .

CC r <r

C< c C <C ;

c < cr ««r- .

cc c c ■ «rv<

c . <r <c

<c <r

V(cc<

^-jSfcC*'

* C < c

- C C

lc c

Cc.

Cc<5t cc
C^ccic c

c
<•

Cc<s:;

< C **Cl

c < c <c

CcC c<: c

c ■'< < I

C cfc

<r cc <r c c c <>c '-. ■ c

: * C cc CT C-C- C c< -c

^ dec CT C.C Cc<C c"

<c, cc. rv€i sox: c-

c<. c c <_ . ; c cc dec <

; <jc <c <: «c « jejee <

i C CcC

C O C C'

tZ Cj; C C<c j _

C Cc C Cc C'

C Cc c • . c

Cc. c" .Cc c? i c <:o

-- cr< c ^ c<- <x c crc«

C C C ^ *C Cc<

c c c <r c ccc

C c C C <T Cc CcC

c «

C «I

cc c. crc:

C c d C^ C

C<< c c c
c c c -c^ c
c< c c c

C C c:Ci ■: CZ
C C cCl C

c c^cc c

C CcC
C CcC

C Ccc
C CcC

C CCC '
C CCC
C CcC <

C c<c '

C:c;(C ..v

C ace
■ c
-, C' cc.

:.o«

- Ccr( C

•Ccc C
C"> c
C c
c c
c< c

c c csr
- <^ccc

C, voccc

CT, cccc; cic •<

•<r < : , c<- -cr. <- <

cr cac dec . c

ip <. cc c; cc

3^-. c ^^ c: cc

c; cccc c. cc c

cr «<& c cc

d cvcC C C C

Ccc C. cc <

d '• ccc C ' . C c;
; C-rc. .c,' C C

: c c <c X5c

>C < C Cc

c. c« ■ c,. c c

C_*x CI
' c "c <r_ ■ <; <-

.: C c C <T <rV

Ccc c; C^c

C i ^1 c ccc

c- cc. <s:; c cc "

cc C «1 ^c cc C

ccc c

tl C ' C ccc « cc

: <c c «k <•

c c ccc <
^ c c ccc c>«

C C ' «c
C c" c • ccr ■<<
Cc " ccc

~C C c c<C tc'cc.

d£i cj:<C

C c c «C c«;

n < c cC CCcC

'" < < <C CcC

: < <c <o?c

Co C <&• cc
Cci -<C c (C
Cc C ; cccc

C c c! CT •' cc c< .

C^ G c cc

-T cc cc

c ccc

; < c«
cccccC
c ccc.C

j c ccc: <c

" c C CC C. "'

ic< f<c: <c
c ^c

C 'C

w:<c ccc ^cc

dec .CC.C c<c

CTcc CC ^c
fc< 'cC S c.

CX< 'cC < 1 c

d C § c

CCC S c
•dcCcC c c

c e • c . «. c

c c <C • c <

C c '

_ c c ^
C c c
C ccc c

•C c -c C cC- •■*

■ C_ c C €C.. <C

C. cue C «2 '■

Ccc i

c.:c c «

^L (( < C

C c r -C i

( C • ccc
cc-CCOC .
CcC c . c
•C c , «T < c •

Cc C CC' •

C C cC c <

c c

cc

c c cr

CjCC

*^L <i.

c c

C cc

c c

'

C <s

c c

.'

CZ C

c c:

4

C <£

c c

4

c< «

c c

<

cc .

c: r

<C Cc

C cc C?

C3c< a •

C c

^_<C< Cc

< c:

<:

CL

" C. v

«<

<i

^d ' c.c c

C • c ■ C

c: " c cc c

C

<L <-Cc C

<T ctc< <r